BUKIT MERTAJAM: Penang will begin enforcing community service orders for littering and similar minor offences from July 1 this year.
Penang local government, town and country planning committee chairman Jason H’ng Mooi Lye said although the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act (Act 672) came into force nationwide since Jan 1, the state will adopt the Street, Drainage and Building (Amendment) Act 2025 instead, known as Act A1773, to give courts the power to order offenders to perform unpaid work as part of their sentence.
Offenders may be required to undertake up to 12 hours of activities such as collecting waste, washing public areas, cutting grass or clearing cobwebs within six months of conviction.
The change is intended to strengthen public cleanliness and civic responsibility beyond merely imposing fines.
"Penang has not adopted Act 672, so what we are enforcing is the amendment under the Street, Drainage and Building Act, namely Act A1773," H'ng told reporters in Bandar Perda here on Friday (Jan 2).
He said the state would take about six months to prepare both local councils, the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP), with procedures and education before enforcement begins.
"Although the Act is enforced from Jan 1 at the Federal level, we in Penang are giving a six-month period for preparation, education and setting up enforcement mechanisms.
"This means there will be no enforcement action during this six-month period," he said.
H’ng said enforcement would only begin from July 1 after both councils finalise procedures, including how summonses and community service orders would be issued and supervised.
He added that both councils would set up a task force to study implementation mechanisms and involve councillors and relevant departments.
"This is a federal policy and many councillors are new, so we want proper discussions involving councillors and relevant agencies before enforcement begins," he said.
H'ng, accompanied by Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and MBSP mayor Datuk Baderul Amin Abdul Hamid had earlier witnessed the swearing-in of 24 city councillors in MBSP for the 2026 term at the MBSP headquarters.
